Roberts’ new solar radio overcomes a problem that afflicts many competitors: sudden silence as a cloud passes by. That’s because it incorporates a battery that is constantly topped up by the broad solar cell on the top of the case. Leave it in a sunny spot on your kitchen windowsill and it will forever be ready for action.
It’s the easy way to self-sufficient power, allowing you to do away with the bundled power adaptor and rely on the sun wholesale. Knowing that our natural tendency with a solar product would be to use it outside, Roberts has blessed the solarDAB with a suitably rugged case. The sturdy plastic body is shiny and easily wiped clean, while the ends and corners are encased in a layer of grey rubber that should protect it from small bumps.
The controls are minimal and easily understood, but it’s lacking one important feature: FM reception. Discounting the line-in socket, this is a digital-only radio which, with the technology still not fully mature, is a problem. While we could pick up strong digital signals from the national BBC and independent stations in our test area, we couldn’t find any local broadcasters – BBC or commercial – despite rival digital products having no such problem. If its DAB features had been supplemented by regular FM we would then have switched to the older, trusted technology, but as they weren’t, we couldn’t.
It is unlikely this is down to the solar power source, but it does nonetheless dent the appeal of this device – particularly if you plan on using it as the only portable radio in your home.
Be sure to check for strong digital coverage where you live by entering your postcode at ukdigitalradio.com before deciding whether or not this is the right radio for you. If it is, great news: it’s a joy to use, and we love the panel’s battery backup.
Price around £70
Pros Solar panel keeps internal battery charged. No loss of signal as clouds block out the sun.
Cons No FM backup. Unable to pick up local stations in our test area.
Verdict The best solar radio we have yet come across, but not quite perfect.
Related posts:
